Taking the Night Off

Have you ever wondered how some people do it? How they seemingly have the desire, budget or liver-fortitude to drink almost every single night? I know I do, but then again I’m also aware that many people have a serious drinking problem, are living beyond their means (or are huge mooches) and are, in fact, killing themselves. Being the life of the party is all well and good, especially when you’re on vacation, but it can be freaking exhausting at times.

After a conversation with my good friend that shall remain nameless, we came to the realization that taking nights off from hitting the sauce is not only the way to go but it actually makes the experience more enjoyable when we do. Social drinking is one of life’s great experiences, particularly when you’re in a new place with a great energy, but there’s nothing wrong with sitting one out from time to time.

Perhaps there’s a reason drinks are expensive at bars – it’s to keep people in check from going overboard (yes, that’s the reason). If drinks were actually little more than the price they were in stores, nobody would ever drink at home! Bars are trying to do us a favour by having high prices so we don’t blackout and avoid our external responsibilities. In fact, the more expensive the bar the more I’m certain it’s a place that is looking after my best interests.

Not drinking some nights allows you to judge others in a clear-minded state and avoid going home with the village troll that you will no doubt regret the next day. Never in my case, but certainly in the case of my friends, there have been instances of waking up with someone next to you and having absolutely no memory of what events transpired. She claims that means I’m lame and I ask her how many more stamps on her VD card until she gets a bingo. We’re good friends.

Drinking all day and all night is a great way to live when you’re 18 and off to university for the first time, but unless you want to take 5-6 years to graduate and not come out with a masters degree, you really need to practise moderation. I’m amazed at the number of people that jet off to all-inclusive resorts and pretty much just drink the entire time. I just want to say to them ‘you know, you could do this at home for MUCH cheaper and not worry about contracting hepatitis or explosive diarrhoea’. Despite many of their protestations to the contrary, most of these people DO do this back home as well, they just want the added benefit of melanoma just to spice things up.

Nobody wants to end up like this guy… he’s only 32!

So yeah, when I go on vacation I try to space my drinking night apart, or ever skip them all together, because first and foremost I’m there to see the world and have a good time. This may include ingesting the odd beverage or even drunken stumble down a historic alley and vomiting like a champ, but I can still have a great time abroad with many memorable tales if I just take the nights off. I’m awesome already, I don’t need any help.

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About Me

People call me Chewy. Want to know why? It’s a pretty long story. Well, actually it’s quite a short story but I just don’t feel like telling it. Maybe later? Probably not though. Doesn’t that make you want to know it more?